To ensure that one is not getting ripped off, it is important to become a knowledgeableconsumer.Every month when the meter reader reads our meter and brings the new Electricity bill(which incidentally is already two months after the last reading), I make note of the meterreading. One time, I received a bill that was more than twice my normal bill. I checked the bill and found that an inflated figure was used as an estimated " consumption. I challenged theEngineer in charge.....his defensive responses and my reply were as follows: 1. "The gate must have been closed, so he could not access your compount" Response: My gate is NEVER locked. 2. "The meter must be inside the house, and no one must have been home" Response: My Electricity meter is on the exterior, so if even if nobody was at home (which would be very rare), the meter can always be read. 3. "Don't worry, when the next months bill comes it will automatically correct the error"" Response: The overage is about Rs. 3,000/- I do not intend to give the Electricity department an interest free loan for 2 months or more. I went to the Electricity department armed with the latest reading from my meter. He usedthat reading to give me a revised bill, several thousand under the original bill. Standing one's ground and being an informed consumer are necessary to combat in-efficiencies.
